INDIRECT DETERMINATION OF MERCURY BY ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROPHOTOMETRY USING ZINC HOLLOW CATHODE LAMP

Abstract

An indirect atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for mercury has been developed on the basis of solvent extraction chemistry. Mercury(II) was converted into a bromo-complex anion and extracted into 1,2-dichloroethane with the 2,2′-bipyridyl-zinc chelate cation. The resulting zinc in the extract, which was equivalent to a specific amount of mercury, was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The sensitivity for the determination of mercury could be enhanced to the level of zinc by the proposed method.     

Chemical speciation of mercury in natural waters

Improved sensitivity of the cold-vapour atomic absorption method for mercury can be obtained by equilibrating the reduced sample with a small volume of air at 90°C. An automated system has been developed that has a detection limit of 1 ng Hg l^-1. By changing the reducing conditions three species of mercury can be differentiated and determined, inorganic mercury, arylmercury compounds such as phenylmercury(II) chloride, and alkylmercury compounds such as methylmercury(II) chloride. Speciation of mercury in natural waters is possible.     

Dosage Du Mercure Dans Les Eaux Naturelles Non Ou Peu Polluees Apres Extraction Par Le Systems Pyrrolidinedithiocarba -Mate-Carbonate De Propylene

Abstract

A procedure for determination of mineral mercury in soft water and sea water is described for the concentrations in the range 5–500 ng. 1^?1. This method involves formation of the mercury-pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate complex which is extracted by propylene carbonate. The extracted mercury is reduced in this solvent by stannous chloride and quickly entrained by nitrogen. The amount of mercury is determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry at 253. 7 nm.     

Dosage DU Mercure Par Spectroscopy D' Absorption Atomique Sans Flamme

Abstract

A method has been developed whereby low levels of mercury can be determined in biological samples. The sample is burned in an air stream and the mercury vapors are collected in a cold trap and determined by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy.     

Acid Effects on the Measurement of Mercury by Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

The influence of nitric, hydrochloric and sulfuric acids on the measurement of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry has been investigated. Small pre-reduction peaks associated with the instability of mercury were observed in solutions containing ≤ 12.5, < 2 and ≥ 12.5% v/v of each acid, respectively. Mercury was found to be most stable in ≥, 2% v/v hydrochloric acid and the measured absorbance was not greatly influenced by varying concentration of the acid. The mercury absorbance measurements were more sensitive in solutions containing ≤ 6.3% v/v hydrochloric acid than in similar concentrations of nitric and sulfuric acids. The use of the three acids as a digestion mixture result in serious interference from nitrogen oxides. The interferant was removed by use of expelling agents such as urea and sulfamic acid or overcome by use of excess stannous chloride, prior to the reduction of mercury(II) ions. The determination of mercury in NBS albacore tuna using both of these approaches to overcome the interference problem proved to be successful.     

Enhancement effect of iron addition for the decomposition of organic mercury as studied by continuous flow analysis with cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric detection

Summary A continuous flow analysis is described for the determination of total mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Organic mercury compounds such as methylmercury(II) chloride, ethylmercury(II) chloride and phenylmercury(II) chloride were decomposed by potassium peroxodisulphate with addition of ferric chloride as catalytic reagent. The reducing reagent used was tin(II) chloride in sodium hydroxide solution. With 1,000 mg Fe/l added in the decomposition process, we found that methylmercury(II) chloride and ethylmercury(II) chloride gave response signals similar to those of mercury(II) chloride. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of total mercury in waste water. Permanent address: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia     

Simultaneous Preconcentration of Copper,Nickel and Cobalt In Water By Coprecipitation-Flotation For Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

A method is described for the simultaneous flotation separation and determination of μg-levels of copper (II), nickel (II) and cobalt (II) in water. Copper, nickel and cobalt in a 1000-ml sample of water are coprecipitated with hydrated zirconium oxide at pH 9.1±0.1. The precipitate is floated with the aid of a surfactant solution and small air bubbles, separated and dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid. The contents of these elements are determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The method is applied to the determination of low μg/1 levels of copper, nickel and cobalt in fresh water.     

Contribution au Dosage de Traces de Mercure Par Photo-Metrie D'absorption Atomique

Abstract

A method has been developed whereby low levels of mercury can be determined. Mercury is deposited from the solution on platinum by controlled potential coulometry. The collected mercury is released by passage of a current and determined by flameless atomic absorption. The method is rapid in the range 5.10^?10 M ? 2.5.10^?8 M of mercury. The relative standard deviation of the method is approximately 4% at 5.10^?10 M.     

A study of the disproportionation of mercury(I) induced by gas sparging in acidic aqueous solutions for cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry

Instrumentation and procedures for the cold-vapor atomic absorption determination of mercury have been modified. Samples are analyzed by syringe injection under reducing and non-reducing conditions so as to allow mercury valence state differentiation. It is shown that chloride ion is effective in preventing mercury(I) disproportionation; in the absence of a strong mercury(II) complexing ligand, mercury(I) readily disproportionates when solutions are sparged with nitrogen. The data are consistent with the formation at the 10–500 ppb level of a Hg₂Cl₂ precipitate with a lower solubility product than the literature values.     

REACTIONS OF 1,3-OXAZOLIDINE-2-THIONE WITH ZINC(II), CADMIUM(II) AND MERCURY(II) HALIDES

Abstract

The reactivity of 1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione towards II B group metals is considered. Cadmium halides, mercury chloride and bromide react to give coordination compounds, whose stereochemistry is tentatively assigned by their i.r. spectra.

Otherwise zinc halides and mercury iodide induce a ring opening.     

Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination of Cobalt,Copper and Nickel in Fresh Water After Their Preconcentration by Precipitate Flotation

Abstract

A method is developed for simultaneous separation and determination of μg/L levels of Co(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) in fresh water by precipitate flotation. The optimal conditions of the experimental procedure with hydrated iron(III) oxide and iron(III) tetramethylenedithiocarbamate as collectors were investigated. The pH interval of the working medium, within which Co(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) can be successfully separated, was determined from the aspect of collectors and surfactant stability. The amounts of the elements investigated were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limit of the method is 0.15 μg/L for cobalt, 0.03 μg/L for copper and 0.79 μg/L for nickel.     

Indirect Microdetermination of Hydroxide Ions by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Abstract

A simple indirect atomic absorption spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of hydroxide ions. The method is based on the reduction of silver ions which takes place when hydroxide sample is treated with silver (I) solution in presence of manganese(II) ions. The unconsumed silver is determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The effects of a number of factors have been studied and the method was employed for the determination of free alkali in paper samples.     

Simultaneous Determination of Copper (II) and Mercury (II) by Using a Zero-Crossing Method

Abstract

The application of a zero-crossing method to the simultaneous determination of copper (II) and mercury (II) with methylethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (MEDTA) is described. The procedure does not require equations to be solved, and it is suitable for concentrations of 0.008–0.036 mg ml^?1 of copper and 0.025–0.300 mg ml^?1 of mercury. The main interferences, both anionic and cationic, were easily eliminated. The method was applied to different aqueous matrices. It was compared with an atomic absorption spectrophotometry method (AA) and good results were obtained.     

Comparative study of copper(II) and cadmium(II) salts as catalytic reagents in the determination of mercury by continuous-microflow cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

A continuous-microflow method with cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometric detection was used for the determination of mercury. A comparison of copper(II) and cadmium(II) salts as catalytic reagents is described in detail It was found that in the presence of at least 80 mg 1^?1 of copper(II) salt a similar signal was obtained for both inorganic mercury [mercury(II) chloride]and organic mercury [methylmercury(II) chloride]. With a cadmium(II) salt at least 100 mg 1^?1 were required.     

Determination of Lead,Cadmium and Mercury in Surface Marine Sediments and Mussels

Abstract

Lead, cadmium and mercury were determined in sediments and mussels, and the ability of these indicators to record metal variations in coastal marine environment is described in this work. The results of an extended investigation of the status of three gulfs at Northern Greece are given, regarding the content of these metals in surface sediments and Mytilus galloprovincialis. The samples were collected during a four-year period. The total concentration of the above heavy metals was determined after digestion of the samples by suitable mixtures of acids, including nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid. The digestion was carried out in a steel pressurised bomb with closed teflon vessels. Lead and cadmium were determined by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), and mercury by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The results were statistically evaluated by analysis of variance, and emphasis was given to annual, seasonal and spatial sources of variation. The annual changes during the last four years and the spatial distribution of heavy metals load is also discussed.     

Speciation of mercury compounds in waste water by microcolumn liquid chromatography using a preconcentration column with cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometric detection

A microcolumn liquid chromatographic method with cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometric detection was developed for the speciation of mercury compounds in waste water. The sample solution containing mercury at the 4-ng level was injected onto a preconcentration column (27 mn × 0.51 mm i.d.) packed with Develosil-ODS (30 μm) and eluted with cysteine-acetic acid through a separation column (125 mm × 0.5 mm i.d.) packed with STR-ODS-H (5 μm). After oxidation, tin(II) chloride in sodium hydroxide solution was used to reduce mercury compounds to mercury. The generated mercury vapour was swept from a gas-liquid separator by argon into the detector cell and monitored at 253.7 nm. Mercury(II) chloride, methylmercury chloride and ethylmercury chloride, were well resolved and the determination was completed in less than 16 min. The method was successfully applied to the speciation of mercury compounds in waste water.     

Determination of Mercury in Geological Materials by Continuous-Flow,Cold-Vapor,Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Abstract

To determine mercury in geological materials, samples are digested with nitric acid and sodium dichromate in a closed teflon vessel. After bringing to a constant weight, the digest is mixed with air and a sodium chloride-hydroxylamine hydrochloride-sulfuric acid solution and then Hg(II) is reduced to Hg with stannous chloride in a continuous flow manifold. The mercury vapor is then separated and measured using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (CV-AAS). For a 100 mg sample the limit of detection is 20 parts per billion (ppb) Hg in sample. To obtain a 1% absorption signal, the described method requires 0.21 ppb Hg solution (equal to 16 ppb in sample). Precision is acceptable at less than 1.2% RSD for a 10 ppb Hg aqueous standard. Accuracy is demonstrated by the results of the analysis of standard reference materials. Several elements do interfere but the effect is minimal because either the digestion procedure does not dissolve them (e.g., Au or Pt) or the; are normally of low abundance (e.g., Se or Te).     

Behavior of Mercury Vapor Upon Irradiation by a Mercury Lamp in an Inert Gas

Abstract

The behavior of mercury vapor during irradiation by a mercury lamp is investigated. Using the flameless atomic absorption technique for mercury determination, it was found that when mercury vapor in an inert gas is irradiated by a mercury lamp, the atomic absorption signal of mercury is decreased rapidly and the signal may be restored by heating to 70°C. These phenomena indicate that the irradiation products of mercury vapor in the quartz tube are deposited on the tube, and are dissociated into the mono-atomic state of mercury upon heating.     

Determination of mercury species in gas condensates by on-line coupled high-performance liquid chromatography and cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the speciation of mercury in gas condensates is reported. Mercury(II) chloride (HgCl₂), methylmercury chloride (MeHgCl), phenylmercury acetate (PhHgAc) and diphenylmercury (Ph₂Hg) are separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using gradient elution. Prior to the determination, the organic ligands and the matrix were destroyed by oxidation with K₂Cr₂O₇. Mercury is detected with cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAA), where the mercury compounds are reduced to metallic mercury by a treatment with NaBH₄. In a continuous-flow system the concentrations of the reagents used are optimized using a modified simplex algorithm. Detection limits for mercury are at the 10 ng ml^?1 level. Analysis of multi-compound mixtures indicates that chemical reactions between HgCl₂ and Ph₂Hg and between MeHgCl and Ph₂Hg take place. The method developed was applied to the speciation of mercury in gas condensates and did not require use of any solvent extraction or chemical derivatization steps. In the gas condensates, mercury(II) compounds were found to be present at the 100 ng ml^?1 level.     

Determination of Alkylmercury Compounds in Lake Sediments by Steam Distillation-Flameless Atomic Absorption

Abstract

Organic mercury compounds in lake sediments were separated into dialkyl- and monoalkylmercury fractions by steam distillation and subsequently quantified by flameless atomic absorption. The method recovered nearly all CH₃HgCH₃ and CH₃HgCl added to diverse sediments. Parameters influencing the efficacy of the procedure, i.e., Hg concentration, sample size and distillation time, were evaluated.